1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an improvement in an electric vehicle wherein a seat for a driver and a rear wheel or wheels disposed rearwardly of the seat are mounted to a rear portion of a body frame. A steering device for a front wheel is supported on a front portion of the body frame. Further, a windshield for covering the front side of the rider together with the steering device and a roof which extends rearwardly from an upper end portion of the windshield to cover the upper side of the driver are mounted on the body frame. An electric motor is provided for driving the rear wheel or wheels together with a battery for supplying the electric motor with electric power.
2. Description of Background Art
Such an electric vehicle as described above is known. See, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-open No. Hei 10-45080.
In a conventional electric vehicle as above-mentioned, a lower frame that is disposed in the longitudinal vehicle direction along a floor and a roof frame rise upwardly from the rear end of the lower frame so as to support the rear end of the roof are provided as components of the body frame. In addition, a seat is supported by a seat post rising upwardly from the lower frame forwardly of the roof frame. A battery chamber for housing a battery is formed beneath the seat. In such a configuration, in view of the formation of the battery chamber beneath the seat, the seat post is provided for exclusive use for supporting the seat. Thus, the seat post is not one of the components of the body frame. This complicates the structure of the vehicle, and hampers a reduction in the weight.
The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned circumstances. Accordingly, it is an object of an embodiment of the present invention to provide an electric vehicle that is simple in structure and light in weight, wherein a seat post is provided as one of the components of the body frame and the body frame can be utilized for housing a battery.
In order to attain the above object, according to an embodiment of the present invention, there is provided an electric vehicle includes a body frame wherein a steering device is supported on a front portion thereof a steering device for a front wheel. A seat for a driver is provided. A rear wheel or wheels are disposed rearwardly of the seat with the seat and the rear wheel or wheels being mounted to rear portions of the body frame. A windshield is provided for covering a front side of the driver together with the steering device. A roof extends rearwardly from an upper end portion of the windshield to cover an upper side of the driver. The windshield and the roof are also mounted to the body frame. An electric motor is provided for driving the rear wheel with a battery for supplying the electric motor with electric power. The body frame includes a main frame, a seat frame, a roof frame, and a shield support part. The main frame includes a head pipe supporting the steering device thereon, a battery case is integrally continuous with a rear portion of the head pipe for housing the battery. A seat post is integrally continuous with a rear portion of the battery case and rises upwardly. The seat frame is integrally connected to an upper end of the seat post and holds the seat. The roof frame rises upwardly from a rear end of the seat frame to support a rear end of the roof. The shield support part is provided on the head pipe to project forward and, together with the windshield, to support a head lamp disposed on a front surface side of the windshield. Footrests, protruding to the left and right outer sides of the battery case, are firmly attached to the battery case.
In addition, the electric vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention includes the windshield that is integrally continuously provided with a leg shield that is connected at lower end portions thereof to the footrests to cover a front side of leg parts of the driver.
Further, the electric vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a backrest disposed on an upper side of the seat that is mounted to the roof frame.
Furthermore, the electric vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention has a roof frame that includes two members composed of a roof post formed of a single pipe material which is connected to the seat frame and a roof support member composed of a casting which is connected to an upper end of the roof post. In this case, the roof support member is composed, in a loop form, of a lower edge portion which has an arcuate shape with both left and right ends thereof warped upwardly and to a central portion of which an upper end of the seat post is connected. An upper edge portion is provided which has an arcuate shape protuberant to the opposite side from the lower edge portion while interconnecting the left and right ends of the lower edge portion and to which a rear end portion of the roof is joined.
Furthermore, the electric vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention has the shield support part that includes a stay projectingly provided on a front surface of the head pipe, a bracket integrally connected to a front end of the stay, and a cover member which clampingly supports the windshield between itself and the bracket. The head lamp and front turn signal lamps, disposed respectively on left and right sides of the head lamp, are mounted to the cover member.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, the body frame including the main frame, the seat frame, the roof frame and the shield support part constitutes a closed loop-formed firm structure in cooperation with the windshield and the roof, so that a firm and lightweight electric vehicle can be realized. More particularly, since the battery case in which the battery is housed and the seat post on which the seat frame is supported are provided at components of the main frame, this configuration contributes to simplification of structure and to reduce the weight of the electric vehicle. In addition, the structure in which the footrests protruding to the left and right outer sides of the battery case are secured to the battery case ensures that the footrests can be firmly supported by the highly rigid battery case.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, the leg shield is supported by the shield support part and the footrests, so that the support structure is made simple and firm.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, the backrest disposed on the upper side of the seat is mounted to the roof frame that supports the roof. Therefore, a support member for exclusive use for supporting the backrest is unnecessitated. This contributes to realization of an electric vehicle with a simplified structure and a reduced weight.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, the roof frame can be a simply configuration by use of two members, namely, the roof post which is formed of a single pipe material and connected to the seat frame and the roof support member which is composed of a casting and connected to the upper end of the roof post. Moreover, the roof support member is composed, in a loop form, of the lower edge portion which has an arcuate shape with both left and right ends thereof warped upwardly and to a central portion of which the upper end of the seat post is connected, and the upper edge portion which has an arcuate shape protuberant to the opposite side from the lower edge portion while interconnecting the left and right ends of the lower edge portion and to which a rear end portion of the roof is joined. Therefore, the loop-formed roof support member is very rigid. In addition, the roof joined to the upper edge portion has a centrally raised arcuate shape in cross section, in conformity with the shape of the upper edge portion, whereby enhanced rigidity and improved draining properties are ensured.
According an embodiment of the present invention, the cover member provided as a component of the shield support part serves also as a support member for the head lamp and the front turn signal lamps. This contributes to simplification of structure and enhancement of external appearance of the electric vehicle.
Further scope of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. However, it should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description.